JACK is BACK! 30JAN - 12FEB IT ALL STARTED WITH A PHONE CALL..... DEREK WAS TO BE TRAVELING TO DUBLIN IN A WEEK FOR BUSINESS AND I MENTIONED THAT MAYBE DAD WOULD LIKE TO GO ALONG WITH HIM (he has always wanted to visit there -shocker i know). WELL, WE CALLED AND JACK, WITH HIS USUAL ENTHUSIASM, SLEPT ON IT AND CAME BACK WITH A YES! SO WITHIN DAYS HE WAS AT OUR DOOR AND WE WERE SO HAPPY TO SEE HIM! HE AND DEREK LEFT THE NEXT MORNING FOR DUBLIN AND STAYED FOR A FEW DAYS. I PUT TOGETHER A QUICK COLLAGE OF SOME OF THE SIGHTS HE VISITED (he took my camera!) IT WAS RAINY AND HE COULD HAVE USED MORE TIME, BUT HE VISITED THE CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, TRINITY COLLEGE WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THE FAMOUS BOOK OF KELLS AND THEN TO HOWTH POINT. THEY HAD SOME GREAT MEALS, MORE THAN A FEW GUINESS, AND A GOOD TIME WITH DEREK'S COLLEAGUES. THEN BACK TO ANTWERP WHERE HE VISITED SOME OLD STOPS AND SOME NEW ONES. SCROLL DOWN TO SEE IT ALL! |
AT THE ENTRANCE TO ST PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, DUBLIN IRELAND 29JAN2002 |
HEY MOM THIS PIC IS FOR YOU...... |
OKAY DUBLIN WAS GREAT, BUT WHERE TO NEXT? "MARIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY LITERATURE ON AMSTERDAM?" |
MONDAY 04FEB HIS FIRST TIME AT THE ROYAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS , HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED VIEWING THE WORKS OF JAN VAN EYCK, PAUL RUBENS, JACOB JORDAENS, AND ANTHONY VAN DYCK. |
WEDNESDAY 06FEB |
THURSDAY 07FEB WE DID SOME SHOPPING & BROWSING AND THEN LUNCH @ MAMA'S GARDEN (PITA/SHOARMA RESTAURANT), JACK THEN STOPPED IN TO SEE THE CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY (1352-1521) AGAIN; HE CAN'T VISIT WITHOUT MAKING A TRIP INSIDE TO SEE THE GORGEOUS RUBEN'S PAINTINGS (AND THIS TIME HE JUMPED IN ON AN ENGLISH TOUR!) |
FRIDAY 08FEB AMSTERDAM - JACK ENJOYED HIS TRAIN RIDE FROM ANTWERP TO AMSTERDAM (FIRST TIME THERE). HE VISITED THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE AMONG OTHER THINGS WHILE THERE FOR THE DAY. BACK HOME IN TIME FOR CHINESE "TAKE-AWAY" WITH THE THREE OF US. |
WEEKEND 09/10FEB HANGING OUT AROUND ANTWERP AND HOME, VISITING THE MARKET BOTH DAYS (TOTAL BRAADWORST INTAKE - 3) SATURDAY NIGHT WE WENT TO AN OLD MEDIEVAL RESTAURANT WHERE YOU DINE IN CANDLELIT CAVE AREAS; A MAGICIAN EVEN CAME AROUND AND SHOWED US SOME TRICKS. WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME SUNDAY ENJOYING SOME NEW WINES AND NIBBLING ON OUR BELOVED OLIVES, CHEESES, FRUITS AND OF COURSE THE STANDARD SUNDAY PASTA FOR DINNER. |
MONDAY 11FEB SAM, PAPA, AND MYSELF TOURED THE TRAIN STATION, TOOK SOME PICS AND THEN OFF TO THE ZOO FOR A QUICK LOOK AROUND AT THE ANIMALS (AND THE TREES?). STOPPED OFF AT DINO'S (CUBAN RESTAURANT) FOR A GREAT LUNCH. |
JAN31 - FEB2 DUBLIN, IRELAND |
TUESDAY 12FEB JACK LEAVES EARLY A.M. FOR THE LONG TRIP HOME. HE FLIES FIRST CLASS ON AMERICAN AIRLINES AND ON THIS TRIP BACK HE WAS THE ONLY ONE UP FRONT! HE WAS TREATED LIKE A KING AND HAD A GREAT FLIGHT. BACK HOME SAFELY WITH MOM AROUND 11PM (THAT'S 5:00A.M. IN BELGIUM......ZZZZ) COME BACK SOON. |
TUESDAY 05FEB SAM, PAPA, AND I JUST TOOK A LONG WALK IN ANTWERP THIS DAY, BROWSING AND A LITTLE SHOPPING (PAPA BOUGHT SAM A MERCEDES WAGON FOR HIS GARAGE RAMP AT HOME). |
PAPA'S PAL >> |
<< LUNCH AT THE CELTIC PUB (FOR SOME IRISH STEW & 2 GUINNESS BREWS), ON OUR WAY HOME, JACK SLIPPED INTO RUBENSHUIS FOR A REVISIT |
OUTSIDE THE PUB >> VIEW BEHIND US IS THE GROENPLAATS. |
PAPA BOUGHT SAM a RIDE in this CONVERTIBLE |
GARY, THIS TREE IS FOR YOU. |
"WOW, THIS TREE IS OLD" |
NIGHTSHOT OF OUR LADY >> |
LUNCH AT DINO'S |
SUNDAY 03FEB WE SPENT PART OF THE DAY WITH THE WHITE FAMILY - HITTING THE MARKET AND THEN A LONG WALK WITH SOME BROWSING IN THE ANTIQUE STORES AND A STOP OFF FOR BAKED GOODIES AND A LOAF OF BREAD AT A LOCAL SHOP. |
AFTER YEARS OF LOOKING AT THEM, JACK FINALLY GRABBED SOME LOOSE COBBLESTONES FROM THE STREETS IN ANTWERP! HE HAS IDEAS FOR THEM... |
AFTER OVER A YEAR OF LOOKING AT IT, WE FINALLY BOUGHT THIS WINE CHEST. >> NOW ON TO FILLING IT...... |
OUR LION PUPS ARE GROWING UP |
DAD OUTSIDE THE ST. CHARLES BORROMEO CHURCH |
HEADING TOWARD THE GROTE MARKT THAT'S CITY HALL STRAIGHT AHEAD |
SATURDAY NIGHT OUT |
